Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/223

 across the Nepean river, where the cattle had gathered in the district called, consequently, the Cow-pastures. There the Governor's party feasted their eyes on a herd of cattle, and felt security against future famine. Hunter dreamed at once of exporting food to other shores. But his ideas of value sustained a shock when, after killing a small animal, it was found that he could take away but a small part, and, to his great regret, the remainder was left to the crows and dogs of the woods."

Mr. Surgeon Bass in June 1796 started for the Blue Mountains, and by dint of hard labour ascended the highest point, whence he saw only "other ranges of mountains."

In the same month some fishermen made an accidental discovery. Driven into a small bay, which they did not know to be a river-mouth, they found coal lying on the surface of the ground where the town of Newcastle now stands at the Hunter River. Lieut. Shortland in the following year, searching for runaway convicts, discovered the river, and named it after the Governor.

Bass, foiled in his expedition to Blue Mountains, took to exploration by water. With Flinders he had previously, in a small boat, the Tom Thumb, 8 feet long, examined the George River in one voyage in 1795, and run great risk on the coast to the south of Botany Bay in another in 1796. In Dec. 1797 Governor Hunter entrusted Bass with a whale-boat and a crew of volunteers from men-of-war. Shoalhaven, Jervis Bay, and Twofold Bay were seen, and the heart of Bass beat high with the assurance that comforted Palinurus, as he turned westward after passing Cape Howe, and was convinced that he had discovered the straits which bear his name. Wilson's Promontory and Western Port, so named because it was the farthest westerly point he then attained, were visited."

On the 1st March 1798, Governor Hunter reported to the Duke of Portland the boat voyage. H.M.S. Reliance being under repair, Mr. George Bass, her surgeon, "a young man of well-informed mind and active disposition," offered his services to the Governor. Hunter furnished the boat and the volunteers. Bass "sedulously examined